The Marauders Year Five Part 2 #Wattys2017

The Switching Charm

The Switching Charm

Lily sat in one chair, James in the next beside her, staring wide-eyed as Argus Filch sat, filling out cards for their student records about the incident, Mrs. Norris weaving her way back and forth before them, her tail flickering through the air as she rubbed her back against Filch's forehead.

"Caught, trespassing... out of bed past curfew... engaged in amorous activity... with an open alcohol container..." He shook his head, clucking his tongue.

James's eyes moved around the room as he sat, leaning back in the chair, wishing he could just turn back time to the moment when he woke up. There were a hundred thousand things he wanted to say to her that he hadn't said because he'd been too stunned by the situation and now here he sat, thinking them, wanting to turn and just blurt them out to her... he looked over at her.

Lily could feel his eyes on her and she flushed, but she didn't dare look back at him because her heart might just explode. She bit her lower lip instead and closed her eyes. She felt his trainer nudge her mary-jane shoe after a moment and she glanced his way. He smiled. God did he smile. That hung up lip smile with the gentlest eyes she'd ever seen him wear.

Alright Evans? he mouthed the words.

She nodded.

He glanced at Filch, who was still muttering misdemeanors across the desk.

You're beautiful, he mouthed.

Lily flushed and this made his grin wider and he winked at her and then turned back 'round to face Filch as though he hadn't done anything at all and she shivered with the excitement of what was happening. He thought she was beautiful! She'd never had anyone say that to her in all of her life... even people like Jasper Odair used different adjectives, like ----

Lily froze.

Jasper Odair.

Her heart dropped straight to her feet. Oh no. She was going to have to tell Jasper Odair what had happened and pray that he would be okay... that he'd understand... Oh what had she done?Cheating on Jasper Odair. She felt terrible. He wasn't the sort of boy that one cheats on - he was too good for that. Sticky sweet, sure, but very thoughtful.

She just hoped he wouldn't find out before she could tell him.

She could hear Sirius Black laughing in her mind at the word find.

Ugh, Black, you absolute arsehole, she thought.

And then she realized Sirius Black's laughter was not just in her head. It was echoing from the hallway and James was glancing that direction, too, toward the door, his eyes wide, a smirk playing across his face. He cleared his throat. "Now what's that Sirius Black up to?" he said to Filch.

Filch looked up from his parchments, scowling.

Sirius's laughter was growing louder... and something else... a thumping, clanking...

James grinned, "Certainly sounds like no good, doesn't it?"

Lily glanced between the door, James, and Filch.

Filch grumbled, "That better not be one of those bleeding suits of armor I hear..." and he got up, abandoning the arduous task of writing out the offenses of James and Lily, and he hurried to the door, looking down the corridor.

James turned in his seat, as did Lily, and watched as Filch stared down the hallway, listening... And the clanking got louder... and closer... and Sirius's laughter was that manic, evil sort that he reserved for only his most heinous deeds and James's grin widened even more. "Sirius Black!" shouted Filch... and then a burst of sparks shot down the hallway, bright gold reflecting off the walls - a hissing as the sparks flew past - Mrs. Norris screeching, only just barely getting out of the way, literally clawing her way up Filch's dusty trousers. It was a Filibuster - fizzing and whizzing down the hall... then BOOM! It had exploded down the hallway and there was a great CRASH! and the tinkling of shattering glass and several loud sounds as suits of armor fell and Lily gasped and covered her mouth and Filch ran into the hallway, "SIRIUS BLACK!" he shouted, "SIRIUS BLACK!!" His voice echoed off the corridor walls.